Means for generating electricity from car-wheel axles.



No. 636,776. Patented Nov. [4, I899. P. EGGLESTON.

MEANS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR WHEEL AXLES.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheds-Sheet 1.

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WITNESSES; T INVENTOR'NZ" my PUHSELL EQCLESTON; WA; 7%. 5 d Qj fi w ATTORN EY a I .l IIIHIH a wmg amumx 1, 2 e I I oo No. 636,776. Patented Nov. 14, I899.

P. EGGLESTUN. MEANS FORGENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR WHEEL AXLES.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1899.) (N0 Modem 2.Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: 4 a INVENTORI -URSELLEQQLESTON. zmmw NJW. $16 7 13 @MQM ATTORN EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PURsELL EGGLESTON, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY..

MEANS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR WHEEL AXLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,776, dated November 14, 1895.

Application filed April 19,1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PURSELL EGGLESTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Generating Electricity from Oar-Wheel Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to a novel means for driving a dynamo placed upon or supported by the truck of a railway-car and also to a novel means for supporting such dynamo for generating electricity by utilizing the rotary motion of one of the car-wheel axles for the driving of such dynamo.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and operative mechanism to be employed in connection with the dynamo secured upon the truck, said mechanism being adjustably connected with the car-truck for automatically maintaining the proper tautncss of a belt connecting said mechanical means with the dynamo and actuated from a pulley-wheel on the car-wheel axle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an efficient'driving mechanism'which permits the dynamo to be rigidly attached to the car-truck, so as to be free from the destructive pounding caused by the vibrations of the car-wheels and car-wheel axles, and, furthermore, to provide a simple arrangement of parts, whereby the car-wheel axle of the truck can be removed when found necessary without disturbing the positions of said dynamo upon the truck or the belt-adjusting device, which is also secured upon the said truck.

Myinvention therefore consists in the novel construction of belt-adjusting device and in the novel arrangement of securing the dy-' namo in its operative position upon the car: truck, as well as in the novel arrangements and combinations of the several parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Serial No. 713,542. (No model.)

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a portionof a car-truck, said View illustrating in side elevation one form of dynamo and means for securing it in position, a bracket secured to the end sill or beam of the cartruck, and an adjusting device connected with said bracket, a pulley-wheel on the car-- wheel axle, and a connecting-belt between these several parts. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the several parts represented in said Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of said adjust= ing device on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4

is a vertical section taken on line 00 in said Fig. 3, looking in the direction of arrow at in said figure. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the frame-sections of said adjusting device. Fig. 6 isaface View of the bracket with which said adjusting device is to be pivotally con= nected, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of a spindle employed with said adjusting device.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the said above-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

In said drawings, A indicates the car-truck; a, the equalizing-bars; a, the cross-beams or sills at the ends of the truck, and a are the usual forms of connecting-beams of the car truck.

B indicates any one of the Wellknown forms of dynamos rigidly secured. in position against one of the center beams a of the truck A by means of two pairs of straps b and b, said straps being secured on the opposite sides of the beam a by means of suitable bolts h and the straps b'being arranged upon the upper surface of thedynamo-casing and secured thereto by means of the bolts 6 while the-straps b are arranged against the under surface of the dynamo-casing, said straps b having hook-shaped ends 6 which are arranged over a cross-bar b to which said ends are secured by means of bolts b or in any other well-known manner. Said bar 17 is suitably secured to the connecting-beams a. of the car-truck by means of bolts 12 or in any other well-known manner.

The armature-shaft b of the dynamo B is provided with the usual pulley-wheel b ,which is preferably made with flanges, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Upon the car-wheel axle a I have arranged a pulley-wheel c,which may be made'in halves and is provided with suitable flanges c and bolts 0 whereby the halves or sections can be quickly secured together and firmly clamped in their operative and in the desired position on said car-wheel axle, as will be clearly evident, and can be readily removed from said axle when it is deemed desirableto replace the axle a by a new one without necessitating the removal of the dynamo B or the adjusting mechanism hereinafter described. Said pulley-wheel sections may also be provided with annular flanges c butsuch flanges are not absolutely necessary.

Secured directly to the end sill or beam at of the car-truck A is a suitably constructed bracket (1. Said bracket, as will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, and 6. has a pair of rearwardly-extending arms d at right angles, or approximately so, to the main body d of the bracket, said arms being provided with suitable holes or perforations, in which are arranged bolts (1 which are screwed into the end sill a or pass entirely through the same and are held in place by means of nuts (1 The said body (1 may also be provided with holes 01 for the reception of screws or bolts to be used as an additional securing means for fastening said bracket d against the side of said end sill a. The said plate or body portion d is also provided with an upwardly-extending part at, in which there is a hole or perforation (Z and at its lower end portion it has a pair of perforated lugs or ears d Pivotally arranged on a pin or bolt f, which is properly secured in said ears or lugs (Z is an adjusting device E, which consists, essentially, of a pair of sections e and e,each section having a forwardlyextending supporting-arm 6 on the forward end of which is a bearing portion e the sides 6 of each bearing being preferably closed to form within each bearing a chamber 6 for the reception of the ends 7t of a spindle 7L, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4. The said section e is provided at its lower end with a recess a, and the section 6 has a correspondingly-arranged tongue 6 which can be made to enter said recess 6 when the parts are assembled. Each section e and c also has a perforated ear or lug a To assemble the said sections 6 and e and to form the complete supporting-frame of the device E, the said sections 0 and e, which are also provided with laterally-extending portions 6 are placed end to end, so that the tongue 6 on the section (2 will enter the recess (2 in the section e and that the edges of said parts e will abut,whereby a pair of semicircular depressions e will form a circular hole or opening, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 4. Said parts e"are each provided with a laterally extending opening a, as indicated in the several figures, in which I arrange a laterally-extending bolt or pin g, having a head g (see Figs.

1 and 2 at one end and a split pin g at the other end or any other suitable fastening means, such as a nut, for securely connecting said parts c of the sections 6 and e. lVhen thus connected, the body of said pin or bolt 9 will project across the opening formed by said depressions e in the two sections. The said lugs or ears 6 are now arranged between the perforated ears or lugs 61 of the bracket (1 and the several parts operatively and securely connected by means of the pivotal pin f, hereinabove mentioned.

Previous to the securing together of the two sections a and c I arrange in the chambers c of the bearings c the respective ends h of the spindle 71, the ends of said spindle abutting against a suitable shoulderor oifset e in each chamber, so that the several parts of the device E and the spindle may not become jammed and renderedinoperative. Operatively arranged upon said spindle h are a pair of boxes t', of brass, Babbitt metal, or any other suitable metal, which are provided with annular flanges 11' and are of such length that when they are placed in their positions upon the spindle 7t, as indicated in Fig. 4, an annular space i will be formed between the ends of said boxes, which space i is arranged directly above and surrounds an an nular groove 72, in the cylindrical surface of the spindle h. The said spindle is made tubular, as illustrated in Fig. 7, to form an oil-reservoir it", and one or more duct-s h and grooves 7L6 are arranged in such a manner that the annular groove it will be connected with said oil-reservoir, substantially as illustrated. One or both of the said bearings 12 of the sections 6 and (2 maybe provided with a suitably-constructed oil cup or reservoir c, which is provided with a spring-actuated or other suit-able cover a, and e is a screwthreaded perforation in which there is a suitable screw c, whereby the flow of the oil from said cup can be regulated and is fed into the chamber 6 of the bearing 6 and thence into the tubular spindle h, as will be understood. From the oil-reservoir in the spindle h the oil passes through the several oil-passages into the space k of a pulley-wheel 7c, opera tively arranged on the said boxes 1', as will be seen from an inspection of said Fig. 4. Said wheel 7c is preferably provided with annularflanges and operatively arranged on said wheel 7:, said wheel 0 on the car-wheel axle, and the wheel D on the armature-shaft of the dynamo is a beltj, said wheels all being in proper alinement, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

In order that the belt may always be kept taut irrespective of the irregularities due to the vibrations of the car-wheel axle and the car-wheels thereon,l have pivotally connected with that portion of the pin or bolt 9 in the opening formed by the portions e hereinabove mentioned the eye portion Z of a rod Z, said rod being screw-threaded at the end Z and passing through the hole (1 of the part d of the bracket 11. Encircling the threaded end of said rod Z on that side of the part 01 farthest away from the frame-sections e and e of the device E is a coiled spring Z which is capable of compression between the part (1 and a plate or washer Z by the drawing up of a nut Z against the said plate or washer, a lock-nut Z being employed in connection with said nut Z for preventing its displacement by jarring when in its proper position for adjustment of said spring Z Thus it will be evident that I have provided a very simple and eflicient mechanism for properly maintaining the belt j taut under all the existing and varying conditions.

When it is desired to bring the beltj out of its operative engagement with the several pulleys, the nuts 1 and Z are screwed back upon the screw end of the rod Z to decrease the tension of the coils of the spring on said rod, which will readily enable the removal of the sections comprising the pulley-wheel c on the car-wheel axle and also permit the removal of said axle for repairs without disturbing the primary positions of the dynamo or the adjusting device E, both of which are permanently affixed to the beams of the cartruck, as will be clearly understood, and when the car-wheel axle has been replaced the said nuts Ziand Z are again screwed up to cause the proper tension of the coils of the said spring Z and thereby maintain the belt taut and in its operative contact with the several pulley-wheels hereinabove mentioned.

The armature-wires of the dynamo may be whereby current can be made to travel in either direction, according to the direction of the travel of the car.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the several arrangements and combinations of the parts of the operating mechanism without departing from thescope of my present invention. Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the parts as herein described and as illustrated in the accompany- 4 ing drawings, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, an adjusting device pivotally connected with said truck-frame, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each framesection, a spindle in the bearings of said frame-sections, a pair of boxes '5 on that portion of the spindle between said bearings, arranged to provide an annular space i between said boxes, a pulley-wheel on said boxes, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said driving-pulley on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with acar-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a spring-actuated adjusting device pivotally connected with said truck-frame, comprising a-pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section, a pair of boxes 2' on that portion of the spindle between said bearings, arranged to provide an annular space 2' between said boxes, a spindle in the bearings of said frame-sections, a pulley-wheel on said boxes, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said driving-pulley on the carwheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel on said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The co mbination,witha car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, an adjusting device pivotally connected with said truck-frame, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each framesection, each bearing having aclosed portion, to form a receiving-chamber, a tubular spindle having its ends arranged in said receiving-chambers,an oil-reservoir connected with one or both of said bearings, having a means of communication with said tubular spindle, a pulley-wheel on said boxes, a pair of boxes 2' on that portion of the spindle between said bearings, arrangedv to provide an annular space 1' between said boxes, and said spindle having oil-ducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel,and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said pulley wheel on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a spring-actuated adjusting device pivotally connected with said truck-frame, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section, each bearing having a closed portion, to form a receiving-chamber, a tubular spindle havingits ends arraugedin said receiving-chambers, an oil-reservoir connected with one or both of said bearings, having a means of communication with said tubular spindle, a pair of boxes '11 on that portion of the spindle between said bearings, arranged to provide an annular space "6 between said boxes, a pulley-wheel on said boxes, and said spindle having oil-ducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said pulley-wheel on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a car-Wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket d also secured to said truck-frame, a pair of perforated ears or lugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said lugs or ears, an adjusting device pivotally arranged on said pin, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section, a spindle in the bearings of said frame-sections, a pulleywheel on said spindle, and a beltarranged to pass over said pulley, said driving-pulley on the car-Wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket (1 also secured to said truck-frame, a pairof perforated ears orlugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said ears or lugs, a springactuated adjusting device pivotally arranged on said pin, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section,a spindle in the bearings of said framesections, a pulley-wheel on said spindle, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said driving-pulley on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley-Wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket (1 also secured to said truck-frame, a pair of perforated ears or lugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said ears or lugs, an adjusting device pivotally arranged on said pin, comprisingapair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section, each bearing having a closed portion, to form a receiving: chamber, an oil-reservoir connected with one or both of said bearings, having a means of communication with said tubular spindle, a pulley-wheel on said spindle, and said spindle having oil-ducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said pulley-wheel on the car-Wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with a car-Wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket (1 also secured to said truck-frame, a pairof perforated ears or lugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said ears or lugs, an adjusting device pivotally arranged on said pin, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections, means for securing said sections together, a bearing in each frame-section, each bearing having a closed portion, to form a receivingchamber, a tubular spindle having its ends arranged in said receiving-chambers, an oilreservoir connected with one or both of said bearings, having a means of communication with said tubular spindle, a pulley-wheel on said spindle, and said spindle having oilducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-Wheel, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said pulley-wheel on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket (1 also secured to said truck-frame, a perforated portion (1 and a pair of perforated ears or lugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said ears or lugs, an adjusting device E pivotally arranged on said pin, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections e and e, a laterally-extending and perforated portion e on each frame-section, provided with depressions e a bolt or pin 9 arranged in said portions 6 and extending directly across the opening formed by said depressions e when the sections 6 and e are secured in position on said pin in the lugs or ears of the bracket (1, a spring-actuated rod Z connected with said bolt or pin g, having its free end extending through said perforated portion d of the bracket 61, and means on the free end of said rod for retaining it in its operative position, a bearing in each frame-section e and e, a spindle in said bearings, a pulley-wheel on said spindle, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, said driving-pulley on the carwheel axle, and over the pulley-Wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame, of a dynamo secured to said truck-frame, a bracket 01 also secured to said truck-frame, a perforated portion (1 and a pair of perforated ears or lugs on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said ears or lugs, an adjusting device E pivotally arranged on said pin, comprising a pair of separable frame-sections e and e, a laterally-extending and perforated portion 6 on each frame-section, provided with depressions e a bolt or pin 9 arranged in said portions 6 and extending directly across the opening formed by said depressions e when the sections 6 and e are secured in position on said pin in the lugs or ears of the bracket d, a spring-actuated rod Z connected with said bolt or pin g, having its free end extending through said perforated portion (1 of the bracket d, and means on the free end of said rod for retaining it in its operative position, a bearing in each frame-section e and e, each bearing having a closed portion, to form a receiving-chamber, a tubular spindle having its ends arranged in said receiving-chambers, an oil-reservoir connected with one or both of said bearings, having a means of communication with said tubular spindle, a pulley-wheel on said spindle, and said spindle having oilducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel, and a belt arranged to pass over said pulley, the pulley-Wheel on the car-wheel axle, and over the pulley-wheel of said dynamo, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The herein-described belt tightening or adjusting device, comprising a bracket d, a pair of perforated lugs or ears thereon, forming bearings, a pivotal pin in said bearings, a pair of frame-sections e and e on said pin, means connected with said sections for oper atively securing them together, a spring-actuated adjusting means between said sections and said bracket, a bearing a on each framesection, a spindle in said bearings, and a pulley-wheel on said spindle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. The herein-described belt tightening or adjusting device, comprising a bracket d, a pair of perforated lugs or cars thereon, form ing bearings, a pivotal pin in said bearings, a pair of frame-sections e and e on said pin, means connected with said sections for operatively securing them together, a spring-actuated adjusting means between said sections and said bracket, a bearing 6 on each framesec'tion, a tubular spindle in said bearings, an oil-reservoir on one or both of said bearings, a means of communication between said oil-reservoir and said spindle, and a pulleywheel on said spindle, and said spindle having oil-ducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The herein-described belt tightening or adjusting device, comprising a bracket d, a perforated portion at", and a pair of perforated lugs or ears on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said lugs or cars, a pair of frame-sections e and c on said pin, a laterally-extending and perforated portion e on each section, provided with depressions e a bolt or pin 9 arranged in said portions e extending directly across the opening formed by said depressions e when the sections 6 and e" are secured in position on said pin in the lugs or cars of said bracket d, a spring-actuated rod Z extending through said perforated portion d to the bracket (1, and means on the free end of said rod for retaining it in its operative position, a bearing e on each section 2 and e, a spindle in said bearings, and a pulley-wheel on said spindle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. The herein-described belt tightening or adjusting device, comprising a bracket (2, a perforated portion 01 and a pair of perforated lugs or ears on said bracket, a pivotal pin in said lugs or cars, a pair of frame-sections e and e on said pin, a' laterally-extending and perforated portion 6 on each section, provided with depressions e a bolt or pin 9 arranged in said portions 8 extending directly across the opening formed by said depressions 6 when the sections 6 and e are secured in position on said pin in the lugs or ears of said bracket d, a spring-actuated rod Z extending through said perforated portion 01 of the bracket, and means on the free end of said rod for retaining it in its operative po sition, a bearing a on each section 6 and e, a tubular spindle in said bearings, an oil-res ervoir on one or both of said bearings, a means of communication between said oil-reservoir and said spindle, and a pulley-Wheel on said spindle, and said spindle having oilducts for passing the oil to the hub of said pulley-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of April, 1899.

PURSELL EGGLESTON Witnesses:

FREDK. G. FRAENTZEL, WALTER H. TALMAGE. 

